Page 150 of Love You Wild
“What?” He sweeps one hand out in my direction. “Big investment banker with his own firm in Toronto? I think that’s a fair name.”
“I’m not offended,” I assure him.
“How’d you get into that, anyway?”
I lean back in my chair and Claire picks herself up, climbing onto my lap and snuggling up. I’m a little surprised she’s so affectionate with me in front of her dad and brother, considering she fought like hell against all of this affection in the first place, but if this is her unguarded, I’ll take every bit of it. My free arm winds around her as I run my fingers up and down her back. I touch my lips to the crown of her head and she lets out a sleepy, quiet sigh.
“My dad had his own firm for years. Just retired two years ago, actually.”
“Ah. So did you take over his firm?”
I shake my head. “No. I own it with my best friend Wyatt. We met in college, which is actually where we met Dex, too. I used to love going to my dad’s work with him when I was a kid. I was just enthralled by it all, and it just felt natural to follow in his footsteps. He taught me everything I know. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
“Well, I should think so,” Gavin says. “Checked out your website. You've landed a ton of huge deals, so that must mean something.”
I don’t have a clue what’s on our website, but I’m sure it looks impressive enough. My mom designs and runs it for us, just like she used to with my dad’s. It’s how they met, actually. She started as his secretary straight out of school when his company was nothing more than a twenty-by-twenty office space, two desks and a phone. She stuck by him through all those start-up struggles, including missed pay checks. She says it’s because she loved him, but my dad says she fought off his advances for an entire year, and she had another boyfriend.
So fucking glad Claire didn't make me wait a year. Three weeks was hell enough.
“What about you guys?” With my cigar, I gesture to Gavin and Casey. “I love those tables and desks you made for Cherry Lane. Been meaning to ask how to get my hands on a few of those.”
“Same way you did,” Gavin says, kicking his feet out. “Followed in my dad’s footsteps and so did Casey. Although he took it a step further than his old man.”
“I teach woodworking at the college,” Casey clarifies. “That’s why I’m in Toronto.”
“No shit. I didn’t know that. So you’re off in the summer?”
Casey’s head bobs. “I can teach a summer course, but I pull Viv outta daycare instead and we get up to all kinds of fun shit. More so now that she’s a bit older. Get to come down here a lot more too, and we get a ton of work done in the summer.” He claps his hands together. “But if you’re serious about wanting a couple pieces—”
“Trust me, he’s serious,” Claire mumbles. “He’s constantly petting my desk. It’s weird.”
“Hey,” I whisper, tipping her chin up. “You be quiet there, little lady.” I kiss the sleepy, cheeky smile right off her sweet lips. She tastes delicious, like a sugar coma I could get high from.
It doesn’t take long for Claire to fall asleep in my lap while I shoot the shit with her dad and brother. I suspect the aforementioned sugar coma. The fact that we’ve been screwing like wild animals every night this week probably also plays into it.
“She seems happy,” Gavin observes pensively, eyes locked on his daughter curled into my chest.
Casey’s head bobs as he murmurs his agreement. “She was never like this with Aaron. And he sure as hell didn’t treat Vivi the way you do.” He’s pensive as he studies his sleeping sister. “She smiles way more since you came along.”
“It’s soon,” Gavin says quietly.
My gaze snaps to him, nervous he’s going to tell me to slow this shit down, which I'm pretty sure is not possible. I’m already well in over my head with feelings I’ve never felt before, plans for a future I wasn’t sure I’d ever want.
But he just chuckles, holding up his hand, putting an end to my worries. “It’s soon, but I can see that it’s real. And that’s all that matters to me. You treat her right, you love her the way she deserves to be loved, and that’s it. That’s all I need to see.”
I peer down at the beauty in my lap, her delicate fingers curled tightly around the collar of my hoodie. Her lips part with a soft sigh when I run my fingers through her soft waves. “I do love her.” A small laugh puffs past my lips. “It’s kinda scary. Never been in love before, to be honest. But it’s not hard to love Claire. I want to give her everything she deserves.”
And she deserves the whole world.
When I wake up in the morning, the sheets are cold and I’m alone.
How the hell this girl repeatedly successfully sneaks out of bed is beyond me, considering I have a death grip on her all night long. Also, this bed is tiny and she was practically sprawled on top of me all night.
Making my way to the kitchen, I find the house empty and quiet. There’s a fresh pot of coffee on the counter, the robust scent wafting through the air, and a note next to a bowl of fresh berries that says there’s breakfast keeping warm in the oven.
Shrieks and giggles filter through the open screen door on the warm breeze. As I step out onto the covered back porch, I’m not sure whether to laugh or sink to my knees at the sight before me. I decide to lean up against the house and fold my arms over my chest while I watch whatever the hell this is unfold.
Claire and Vivi are creeping across the expansive lawn, Claire on her hands and knees, Vivi on her tiptoes and wielding what looks to be a butterfly net.
